DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Mickey's Gala Premier remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have any interest in how Hollywood used to look at itself, absolutely. It’s a total time capsule. If you’re the type of person who needs a linear plot or a movie that takes itself seriously, stay away. This is pure, unadulterated 1933 self-indulgence. 🐭
The whole thing is basically just a giant red carpet. It feels like every single star of the era showed up to see Mickey. The way they draw Greta Garbo is honestly a little creepy, but you can’t look away. It’s like a weird, rubbery version of a gossip column.
I found myself wondering if anyone watching today even knows who half these people are supposed to be. It doesn't really matter though. The caricature work is bold and kind of brutal. They didn't hold back on the big noses or the weird teeth.
There’s this moment where Mickey and Minnie arrive, and the crowd just goes absolutely bananas. It’s got that manic energy you only get in these old shorts. Everything is bouncing. Everyone is screaming.
Sometimes the rhythm feels a bit rushed, like they were trying to shove in as many celebrity cameos as they could before the reel ran out. It reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing in Buster's Nose Dive, where things just happen because the animators thought it would be funny to see something explode or fall over.
The actual 'movie' they are watching inside the movie? It’s meta, I guess. It’s a bit of a letdown compared to the buildup of all these fancy people arriving in their tuxedos and gowns. 🎩
I caught a glimpse of a background character who looked suspiciously like a rejected sketch from The Bears and Bees. It’s those little recycled details that make these old shorts feel so human. They were working hard and moving fast.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a fun ten minutes? Sure. It’s basically a high-budget inside joke from a different century. I’d take this over some of the cleaner, safer stuff we see now. At least this has some grit to the pen strokes.
